Odd smell from cooking vacuum packed meat...not off just...odd.

Cottage_Economy

Bought a leg of vacuum-packed lamb from ALDI on Friday.

Opened it up about an hour ago and it seemed fine. Nice and healthy colour, no usual smell that you get from vacuum packed meat.

Put it in the Halogen oven and now an hour later there is an odd smell in the house. I can't put my finger on it. Never smelt it before. It's not off, it's just bizarre.

There's absolutely no smell of lamb at all. Nothing. Just this weird smell. Even if I lift the lid off the oven and sniff there's nothing! It's like I'm cooking a lump of nothing.

Is this going to be ok to eat?

To be honest, I can't eat anything my nose can't identify. I wouldn't get it past my throat so I'm at a loss as to what to do.

southernscouser

Is it a horsey type smell? :think:

Tiglath

Is it definitely a food smell? No random baking trays left in the oven, or cruddy build-up?

thehappybutterfly

I hardly ever eat lamb and when I do, I think it smells horrible. Have you cooked lamb before?

Cottage_Economy

southernscouser wrote: »

Is it a horsey type smell? :think:

:rotfl:

It's definitely the thigh of small creature, not a derby winner. I don't think that would fit in my halogen oven!

Hubby's just woofed at me as he walked past and started ruffling around the takeaway menus.

Cottage_Economy

Tiglath wrote: »

Is it definitely a food smell? No random baking trays left in the oven, or cruddy build-up?

Nope, all clean.

I am cooking it in olive oil, which has its own smell but I've cooked for long enough to recognise that smell. This is not a chemically smell like you might get if you forget to clean the oven properly or from plastic.

But if it is a food smell, it's not one I've smelt before.

Cottage_Economy

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

I hardly ever eat lamb and when I do, I think it smells horrible. Have you cooked lamb before?

Yep, loads of times. There should be a pleasing smell within about 25 minutes of it going in the oven.

A little update, the lamb is almost black after less than 90 minutes in the oven. That is definitely not the right colour for the time cooking and still no smell.

thehappybutterfly

doesn't sound good at all - I'm joining the 'don't waste food' challenge but I'd chuck this!!!

Or better still take it back to Aldi tomorrow and ask for a refund.

Cottage_Economy

Ok did the taste test. Cut a bit of the part that had been closest to the halogen light of the oven so that should be well done.

It had a very faint taste of lamb, but had an unpleasant vaguely chemical metallic tang over-riding that. Sort of like bad game. Is this really old mutton maybe???

We've decided not to eat it. It's so far away from the tasty piece of lamb that we had a couple of weeks ago we're not eating it.

kittycat204

Take it back and complain. BTW, not sure even I would eat this one. Shame.

MadelinesMum

Take it back for a refund. I had a similar experience with a vacuum packed leg of lamb from co-op. What a shame